Nick Xenophon and SA Best’s political campaign song ‘We’re The Best’ reviewed and rated

MUSIC is always part of an election campaign, but penning your own song? It worked for Gough Whitlam with It’s Time, but that was – you know – a good song. Music writer Nathan Davies rates Nick Xenophon’s foray into hip-hop.

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We’re The Best

Nick Xenophon and the SA Best Team

*1/2

RAP and politics have always been bedfellows.

Since Gil Scott-Heron informed us that the Revolution Will Not Be Televised way back in 1970, hip hop has never shied away from the message.

From Public Enemy to NWA, Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy to AB Original, Nas to … Nick Xenophon!

Yes, our Nick has made a hip-hop track, an appeal to the South Australian public to vote SA Best set to some less-than-dope beats and featuring a less-than-stellar chorus.

As a political stunt it’s classic Nick – designed to get people talking. It will generate news stories, column inches, talkback radio calls and internet memes, and that’s exactly what Xenophon wants. Laugh all you want, he says, just don’t ignore me.

As a piece of music it’s dross, falling somewhere between Vanilla Ice and the Adelaide Furniture and Electrical jingle (which is at least catchy).

The beat sounds like it came programmed into a Casio keyboard picked up for seven bucks at the Kilburn Savers store, and not even the repeated house piano hooks can save it.

“We’re the best, SA Best,” sings Nick’s team in the chorus, “come on and put us to the test”. “Make a change in the nick of time (see what they did there), forget the rest, vote SA Best”.

Primary school sports day teams have come up with better rhymes.

The film clip features a Bollywood-inspired dance number, some skateboarding, crow sounds, some modern dancing across a bridge, skateboarding, Nick loading hay bales into a ute and some of the daggiest dad dancing ever seen outside of a Midori-fuelled over 50s night at the Arkaba.

Nick Xenophon's campaign video with Bollywood dancers.

Oh no, is Nick sick? Why is he on a hospital gurney? No, don’t worry, he’s giving us the thumbs up.

Music is always part of a political campaign. Steven Marshall rolled out The Killers for his campaign launch (I got gas in the tank, I got money in the bank, I got news for you baby, you’re looking at the man … um, OK), and who could forget Bill Clinton breathing new life into Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop?

But penning your campaign song? That’s a bolder move. It certainly worked for Gough Whitlam with It’s Time, but that was – you know – a good song.

Adelaide has produced some of this country’s biggest hip hop acts, including The Hilltop Hoods, Funkoars and Tkay Maidza.

If only Nick had gone to them for some advice.